Corps of Engineers to release flood water from Lavon Lake

Published May 27, 2015

FORT WORTH, Texas – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District began to release water at a controlled rate today from the flood pool at Lavon Lake to reduce the lake level.

The lake level was forecasted to reach 503.5 feet earlier this morning and surcharge releases were begun through the twelve tainter gates to allow outflows to match lake inflow. As additional rainfall occurs, we will monitor and model lake levels and these authorized releases will be included in National Weather Service River Forecast Center gaging data.

“Our lakes and dams are functioning as designed and we will continue to monitor and coordinate with our stakeholders to ensure the safe operation of our projects,” said Fort Worth District Acting Commander, Lt. Col.  Clay Morgan.

Lavon Lake Dam is part of a system of Trinity Basin Flood Risk Management Projects.  All the USACE Projects in the system are managed in concert for downstream channel capacity. “We try to keep a balance in the system for storage by releasing from projects that are at higher storage percentages as downstream conditions allow,” said Jerry Cotter, branch chief for water resources management.  However, once a reservoir reaches a surcharge level, we must balance downstream and project risks in operating our lakes.”

Releases are carefully monitored and are increased or decreased depending on channel capacity, control point elevations/flow and established flows within operation guidelines. Each flood risk management lake has operations guidelines that establish the conservation and flood pool elevations. The Trinity River Basin reservoir lake levels and corresponding authorized operating pools may be reviewed at http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/cgi-bin/rcshtml.pl?page=Reports&report=fish. Updated release information is also posted on the Fort Worth District Facebook (link below).

Additional information concerning lake operations may be obtained from the individual project offices or by calling the Public Affairs Office at 817-886-1306.

-30-

 

 

 

 

About the Fort Worth District: The Fort Worth District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was established in 1950. The District is responsible for water resources development in two-thirds of Texas, and design and construction at military installations in Texas and parts of Louisiana and New Mexico.  Visit the Fort Worth District Web site at: www.swf.usace.army.mil and SWF Face book at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Worth-District-US-Army-Corps-of-Engineers/188083711219308


Contact
Clay Church
817-886-1314
clayton.a.church@usace.army.mil
819 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, Texas

Release no. 15-029